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Fell Justice
Arata bird Ropaan Snarler Zjinn Great Yeti Watchuka (Southern Yeti) Red-Bellied WetaNamed after the Weta of New Zealand Viridian rose Rongo bushName from Maori mythology Rata shrubName from Maori mythology |otherspecies=ThakarthaCreature created by Morhek; see here for first use Kangaroo Manatee Echidna Narwhal Southern beach tree Coast redwood tree Bee Orchid |language=English (business language) Spanish Maori KetynalThe Kaaranese Sangheili belong to Morhek The Tagalog word for "stupid" Fierinese Machinik |population=562,150,000 (Approx.) (2601) :Sangheili (37%) :Human (23%) :Jiralhanae (19%) :Unggoy (12%) :Other (9%) |cities=August Reverie, HS (Capital) Wellington Metroplex, AR Rice-Sayre, TA Little Albany, SASH |imports= |exports= |affiliation=Meritocratic States of Fell Justice Union of Fell Justice United Earth Government United Sangheili Republic }} Fell Justice was the fourth planet of the Dara system, orbiting in a binary planet system with Azure Misery. One of the Covenant's major strongholds during the , Fell Justice would become a major, inter-cultural port of call during the Rebuild Era, becoming especially famous for its underworld activities. The large world also made economic use of its two moons, Tranquil Illumination and Holy Outpost, and the vast Sublime Grace orbital station network that stretched across a large portion of the planet. Originally settled by the United Earth Government in 2378 as the colony of Rangi, the settlers were from the Everest Endeavor, a joint New Zealand-Spanish colonization effort that would keep the colony running for twenty years until the project's funding was unexpectedly cut off by its sponsoring nations. The colony would continue to try and carve out an existence for the next few years, but with their supply line cut off and the native fauna quite formidable, the Rangies eventually died off. The planet, far from civilized space, would eventually fade from colonizers memories, with most records being destroyed during the mid-2400's. During the late 2400's, however, the planet would be rediscovered by the explorer and planet charter Mikhail Faukner, who would lead to the colony's resettlement, and restoration of its data within the archives. Restored to a population of roughly 750,000 by , the planet would soon come to experience a small role within the Insurrection when rebels took over the standing government and provided safe-haven to all , as well as resources for future operations. The UNSC, catching wind of the situation quickly enough, launched a small task force to eliminate the rebel threat, successfully assassinating or capturing rebel leaders and driving off all Insurrectionist forces within three days of bloody conflict. During the , Rangi would fall victim to more violence as the invasion forces pressed in. In 2529, a UNSC fleet retreated to Rangi for repairs and refueling, a fleet followed shortly after and proceeded to take over the world. With the human forces eliminated, the Covenant Empire started their own colony on the planet, renaming it Fell Justice. Within months, it sported thousands of , and , with several large cities accommodating their lifestyles: Sangheili would use the world as a training and hunting ground - , despite protests, were banned from using the ranges - while Unggoy breeding and resource acquisition were other major assets the colony provided. After the war, Fell Justice would remain outside the jurisdiction of any superpower thanks to the Treaty of Voi's territorial lines, but in 2562 a dispute arose over the claim to the world. Given the fact that the had colonized the world twice prior to the Sangheili's possession of it, the argument appeared valid, and it was the subject of heated debate in several inter-governmental courts for months until the decision was made to officially list it as a USR colony. Despite this move, the world would effectively retain its independence due to its placement on the Frontier, and the court case merely served to draw in more companies and diverse species to the world. History Discovery and Settlement }} During the earliest days of the United Earth Government's extra-solar space colonization efforts, the starships sent out to fulfill exploratory programs were all funded by specific governments. At first, this process led to numerous worlds colonized with only a single form of culture, resulting in planets such as the Netherlands' New Harlem, Israel's Sinai, and Japan's Edo. However, it soon proved that maintaining a colonial program and the many planets that pertained to it would slow down single-handed colonization, leading to some countries allying with others in their efforts. The Everest Endeavor was such an alliance, formed between New Zealand and Spain in 2374. Intended to settle at least twenty new worlds over the course of five years, the program was fairly successful, managing to forge seventeen colonies in that time period as well as sustain all of them, no simple feat. Within Endeavor was the disgruntled Commander Jerald Cantelon, a young man who had led several colony-seeking missions only to be consistently beaten to the prize by other explorers. However, in 2378, Cantelon at last received his lucky break, when he managed to stumble upon the world that would come to be known as Rangi. Discovered when a miscalculated vector led to an unknown system instead of Human space, Cantelon was initially highly displeased with being seemingly lost in space, but when he realized that he had discovered a fruitful planet previously unknown to mankind, he was overjoyed. After briefly surveying the planet and ensuring that he would be able to return there safely, Cantelon and the rest of the CAA Excelsior returned to known space, where Cantelon was quick to inform Endeavor's leaders of his discovery. Sending another team back within two months, the world was deemed sound and easily capable of sustaining human life with minimal terraforming, and shortly thereafter the first Rangi colonists were deployed. Primarily citizens of New Zealand or Spanish territories, the colonists also included a respectable minority of Portuguese, Australians, Thai, and Egyptians, and every last one of the colonists were ready to throw themselves wholeheartedly at the task, many of them never having had a prior chance to make something of their life. The initial group of colonists were persistent, managing to make a decent life for themselves and craft a small city, Ovideo-Tauranga, with their surrounding farms and the natural orchards sustaining the citizens, supplemented by occasional hunts for Thunsinger's gazelle. However, survival was the people's top priority, as bringing in enough food was difficult not only because of Ropaan eating their crops, but also the threat of death at the hands of Snarlers, Yeti, and Raviente. Over the course of the next two decades, as the colonists of Ovideo-Tauranga continued to struggle for their lives, seven more colonization vessels were deployed to Rangi to supplement the population, and with each ship there came a revival in the will to forge a new world. These revivals would sustain the people that much longer, having a greater effect than the supply ships that arrived every four months ever did, and eventually the colonists grew large enough to build a second city-village, Zaragoza. However, no matter how many times the colonist's will was renewed, their numbers slowly dwindled, and in 2399, the last leg of their downfall came. After over twenty-five years of faithfully expanding Earth's colonies, the Everest Endeavor's funding was suddenly and dramatically cut off when Spain went into an economic depression, and New Zealand was unable to continue the project alone, nor find another partner. At first the colonists of Rangi thought that the supply ship was delayed, but when two shipments were missed, they discerned that something was amiss: struggling to sustain themselves without outside aid, the leaders of the two cities rallied their citizens and informed them of what they already knew, stating that without Endeavor's aid they would be forced to fend for themselves. For the next two years, this speech and the leaders' efforts would keep the colonists together, but it could not last forever. In 2403, after several years of trying to survive when mankind at large had forgotten they existed, the colonists began to descend into a lower state of being. A harsh winter had left many dead, and the rest near starving, so that when the spring came they were greatly relieved, but feeling as if they should have died with the others. Chaos and insanity began to creep into the fragile minds of the colonists, as the starvation of the winter and fierce beast attacks of the spring were beginning to instill a belief within them that death was the only escape. Apathy came over the congregation, leading to neglect of the farms and greedy gathering of the orchard's fruits, which in turn led to neither food sources being capable of propagating further. The end of the colonists tragic survival came in 2407. The two cities had already been reduced to one when a rash group of young people enraged a Raviente, causing it to ravage Ovideo-Tauranga and destroy much of the town while it sought vengeance. The survivors fled to Zaragoza, where a combination of starvation and murder led to their eventual demise, brought speedily to an end during a riot that soon became an all-out fight between those who sided with Governor Hant Jō, and those who wished for Hal Park to lead. After the riot escalated into a full-scale conflict involving guns, knives, fists and all other manner of combat at the colonists disposal, the few who wished to have no part in the bloodshed fled to the far side of the city: when these thirty souls returned two hours later after the gunshots had stopped, they found only two men and one child still alive. What became of these last thirty-three survivors is uncertain. All the information detailed after the end of the Everest Endeavor would later be discovered during a survey of the planet in 2482, when the surveyors came across a small cave with some equipment from the past century, and several skeletons. Among the equipment was a small chest of titanium, securely locked: once returned to the sitting governor, he instructed for it to be opened, and within were several data pads and personal journals detailing the struggles after Rangi was abandoned. However, the data pads were all official logs made by the governors and other officials, while the journals ended at maximum four days after the Riot of Zaragoza, leaving the eventual fate of the thirty-three survivors, including what led them to this one cave in the first place, completely unknown. Recolonization Having been located far from civilized space and the main front of colonization, Rangi's loss remained a fairly unknown factor for decades. This location would make rediscovery highly unlikely, becoming a factor in the colony's death and destruction: this, coupled with the loss of many files during both the Everest Endeavor's closing and an insurgent attack on the Colonial Planetary Archives, would leave the planet forgotten for quite some time. However, in the 2460's, the planet would be remembered in an unlikely fashion. Growing up hearing about a lost planet called Rangi that his great-uncle's father had supposedly fought and lived on, Captain Mikhail Faukner of the CAA Exploration Division was skeptical, believing the stories to be simply inspiring tales. But during a routine search on the CAA's archives, Faukner stumbled onto a brief mention of a world named Rangi founded by the Everest Endeavor. After a year and a half of research by Faukner and a circle of friends, Faukner arranged for an expedition to find this lost planet and begin recolonization: after a year of searching, he rediscovered it in 2467, and set about surveying the world, trying to ascertain not only that it was still suitable for life, but what had become of the previous colonists. Although neither Faukner nor his colleagues ever discovered what happened, their efforts would lead to later searches by scientists and explorers, leading to the discovery of the cave vault in 2482. With the planet rediscovered and the CAA-funded planetary colonization effort in full-swing, Rangi was once again colonized by mankind, but this time with a much better system, ensuring that the colony would not be forgotten or under-supplied. Colonists poured into the colony, and it soon became famed for its hunting ranges, as well as sultry statements about its supposedly better endowed females. Also during this timeframe, the colony first began to be sought out by entrepreneurs who wished to make exotic resorts for tourists and business executives to come to, leading to a large economic boost from this new form of revenue. However, the primary marks this second age of colonization left on Rangi were its industrial sector, and the first formation of its criminal underworld. Within the first few years of colonization, entrepreneurs quickly discovered that the Whakatau Mountains were filled with large deposits of valuable minerals and metals, such as iron ore and copper. As heavy mining began, other valuables were discovered, such as deposits of diamonds, emeralds and topaz, as well as large veins of gold. Industries focused on extracting these raw materials became a large portion of Rangi's economic sector, with aid from smaller corporations focused on the extraction of material from the vast rainforests; by 2476, these industries and the associated processing and shipping groups made up roughly two-thirds of the planetary workforce. With the vast influx of workers came a large group of new needs that had to be filled, some less respectable than others. Some of the needs were simply complementary to a growing population and large workforce, leading to large, skyscraper-filled cities, vast farmlands and vineyards and a wide array of entertainment options. The amusement parks and beaches of Rangi became especially renowned throughout UEG space, such as the red-sand beaches of Key CoastNamed after the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, John Key, for no other reason than to keep up the New Zealand/Oceania theme, Tāne, or the galaxy-famous Robinson World Resort and Theme ParkA reference to Walt Disney World, of course on Agni Island, Varuna, based around the works of media-maker Brodie Robinson. Amusement did not only come in the form of parks on Rangi though. Criminal activities always creep up in any society, but on Rangi they remained low-key for about two decades. But by 2481, several large gangs began developing in the major cities, slowly bringing in black market activity, slave trafficking and prostitution rings. As the grip of the UNSC began to tighten throughout the Outer Colonies, mercenaries and miscreants began to slip onto Rangi just as much as respectable business men, and with them the underbelly of Rangi exploded. All manner of wines were grown from the flora of the world, as well as new forms of recreational drugs, and the brothels became especially renowned amongst the mercenaries for their savory women. Time would prove the crime lords of Rangi more powerful than any outside government or military force, as repeated attempts by the UNSC and CMA to cull their activities became repeated failures. Rebellion and Invasion As the Insurrection began to build steam throughout human space, Rangi was one of the core pieces of the UNSC's frustrations. Several decades worth of criminal busts gone awry had left them frustrated by both their own failures and the seeming ineptitude of the CMA. So as soon as Project ORION began, numerous assets were reassigned to Rangi to enact . For years it served as both as a battleground and a base of operations for TREBUCHET, and it seemed to be working. Unfortunately for the UNSC, the opposite was in fact true. Gangs and mafias began working even further in the shadows, masking their presence behind front companies and basing their headquarters in the wilds where no one could look. All in all, the UNSC presence only made the situation worse, and in time the citizens of Rangi drove the UNSC away as much as they could. The Insurrection was not welcome either, however. Despite anti-UNSC sentiment, Rangians were not ready to be associated with outright rebellion. This was best demonstrated in 2513, when the tried to perform a major protest in New Zaragosa and were quickly driven out of the city by a mob of angry citizens. When they returned three weeks later and took over the planetary government in a swift, bloody uprising, the UNSC was quickly called in to end the threat. A small fleet, equipped with several special operations detachments - including several that had formerly been stationed on Rangi - arrived and eliminated the Tamran forces within three days, before being forced to leave by the reinstated Rangian government. But insurrectionists and criminal underworlds soon became the least of the Rangians problems. In 2528, UNSC defectors began reaching the planet, telling stories about an alien empire that they had fought against. Dismissed initially as mere rumors, things took a turn for the worst the following year when a UNSC battlegroup retreated to Rangi for repairs and refueling only to be followed by a small fleet of warships. In a brutal engagement lasting for 16 mins, the Covenant destroyed all 17 UNSC ships and then began a siege of Rangi. Within two days, the humans had been killed - or in a few covert cases enslaved - and their three largest cities glassed, leaving the Covenant with free reign of the planet. }} At the behest of Supreme Commander Rho 'Barutamee, the commander of the conquering Fleet of Valiant Prudence, the Hierarchs deemed this human world to become a support world, due to its natural resources and outlying status in comparison to other human worlds. Renamed Fell Justice, the world became a home to thousands of , and over the next few months, transforming the various features of the world to suit their needs as they saw fit. Primarily, the human settlements were avoided, especially in the first few years. Sangheili brought in their own portable settlements and built up a handful of strongholds along the coasts of the northern landmass. From these locations, they allowed the Unggoy and Kig-yar to stretch out and begin establishing farms, mines and other such entities for extracting resources. Within a decade, each of these groups began to leave their marks: Kig-yar nest colonies would form within the jungle canopies, while the Unggoy would travel to the lowlands or caves and transform them into methane-filled biomes for their leisure. Under New Management The Center of the Frontier Galactic relations One of the most culturally diverse planets in the known galaxy, Fell Justice is a mixing pot of the races that visit it. Combined with its location in space, this lets Fell Justice reside as a Neutral State on the galactic playing field, forming relationships with all of the major interstellar powers, as well as several minors ones. Azure Misery Dara system Sangheili UNSC Demographics Languages Being as diverse a world as it is, Fell Justice uses numerous languages as primary languages, though none are strictly enforced as an official language. As is common with all Human worlds, and many multi-cultural neutral worlds, English is used as the common, business language to conduct transactions between races, or merely for everyday conversations. However, despite being the primarily used language, the official languages of the Human population are Spanish and Maori, established as such in the first colonization and carried over into the second colonization despite the more varied group of colonists. Because of the high use of these three languages, all three are used globally in documents, signs and other appropriate places, with English being listed first in large print, while Spanish and Maori follow as secondary notations. In addition to human languages, Fell Justice sports several other widely used languages, the most common of which is the Sangheili's common tongue. Given the high percentage of Sangheili that call the planet home, as well as the colony's past rule by the Sangheili, Sanghe is used in all Covenant districts and serves as a secondary business language for the world. Lobaha is used among the large groups Unggoy, though the Ngy dialect is more common in Unggoy slums, while the Kig-yar and Jiralhanae chose to speak predominantly in their races' tongues, avoiding the use of others as much as possible. Terms and slang from Fell Justice Religions , located within the northern Ratri rainforests]] Although not a powerful, driving force on Fell Justice as it is on some other planets, religion and its aspects have still left their mark upon the planet in unique ways. Primarily, Human religions take a backseat on Fell Justice, as the Covenant's conquer of the planet allowed them to well-established their own customs during the twenty-five years of occupation; in addition, when Humans did return in the post-War, they were not of a highly religious background, and the future activities and industries of the world would deter such interests. Nevertheless, some religions continue to have a hold on part of the population. Catholicism was the primary religion during both former colonizations of the planet, in part due to the large percentage of Hispanic families, and in the 2550's Catholicism would become the dominant Human religion once more, if only by a narrow margin. Focused primarily within the three largest cities of the planet, most notably the capital of August Reverie, twenty percent of the Human population of Fell Justice call themselves Catholics, beating out Hinduism by three percent. Hinduism serves as the second largest religious force on Fell Justice, Politics As noted by some of the galaxy's most famous political critics and theorists, the political structure of Fell Justice is one of the most unique and complex in the galaxy. Living Conditions Culture Art Music Just as varied as the planet's population, Daran music is, for many, a thing found in the eye of the beholder, created by the mixture of a half dozen races in close proximity. Cuisine Past Times Popular culture Economy Transportation using a Che Rider while hunting a Lon'vehi]] Over the decades, Fell Justice has developed several ways to allow for navigation of the planet, with the designs being influenced by not only UNSC, but Covenant and Machina ideas and concept as well. The primary form of navigation in the large cities is the roadway network that operates either as the path for transportation throughout the city in smaller ones such as a New Zaragoza, or merely on the lower and middle levels of larger, layered cities such as the Wellington Metroplex and Little Albany. However, middle and upper levels of cities - particularly the higher-class cities or those more heavily populated by former races of the Covenant - were more likely to use another form of transportation in addition to highways, namely tram systems and gravitational conveyance paths. Industry Despite being used primarily as a wildlife preserve and tourist resort, Fell Justice also has a fairly strong industrial sector, centered around three moderate-sized cities on the southwestern coast of continent Rudra.Named after the Rigvedic deity Rudra Developed during the second colonization effort by the UNSC, Wildlife Preserves Criminal Underworld Throughout the galaxy, Fell Justice is praised publicly as a world of resorts, beauty and attractions unlike any other known to mankind; privately, the planet was the suspect of all manner of discussion involving criminals, gambling, brothels, murders, assassins, and numerous other sultry things, as well as the horrors of the planet's slums. Geography Climate Fauna and Flora reporter}} Among Fell Justice's many attractions, the flora and fauna of the planet are some of its greatest, as the combination of zoos, vast nature preserves, and uninhabited territories serve well to showcase the planet's unfathomable variety of life. Sporting well over a 800,000 documented species of indigenous fauna, and several thousand more immigrated ones, as well as undetermined number of native and imported floral species that currently number well over 1.5 million, the wealth of Fell Justice's ecosystems is immense, making it a favorite destination for animal enthusiasts, researchers, hunters, and vacationers. Though the many zoos on Fell Justice, most particularly the Santa Rosa Mountain Zoo in Upper Wellington, represent this diversity to an extant, they are more worried with displaying off-world animals such as , , Bog Tigers, and Indris. The large nature preserves, on the other hand, serve to exhibit the animals that Fell Justice has to offer with as much safety as possible, as entrance into these preserves requires various permits, and sometimes specially trained guides as well. Studied heavily by scientists from multiple factions, many indigenous species on Fell Justice are wonders of evolution, in more than one fashion. A fairly excellent example would be the Daran , so named for its remarkable resemblance to the eponymous creature from Reach. Native to the highland mountains of the northern hemisphere, the Daran Gútas are somewhat smaller and lankier than their Reach cousins, with a build better suited to scale the sheer rock walls of the mountains to allow easier hunting of their primary prey, the Sarja Rock Elk. However, the Daran Gúta developed an intense rivalry with the Thakartha that the transplanted to the world, and the territorial fights between the titans have become a well known danger within the preserves. Of note, the fact that the Daran Gúta involved on Fell Justice so similarly to the Reach Gúta has been the cause for much debate among the scientific community: many suggest that this occurrence is major evidence towards convergent evolution, while another group believe that the Daran Gúta were transplanted millenia ago by the . Closely related to the Sarja Rock Elk, the Daran gazelle, also called Thunsinger's Gazelle, is the most common species of deer present on Fell Justice, native or imported. The gazelle is an indigenous species that inhabits the low lying plains, forests, and tundras as well as some of the coastal and desert regions, and is most commonly seen with the Ropaan, a large creature similar in shape and habits to the Terran hippopotamus. The exact reason for this constant close proximity of the two species is not entirely certain, but it is believed to be the gazelle's way of defending itself from predators, as the Ropaan are strong enough to fend off most predators. In addition to the relationship between these species, they also have an odd symbiotic relationship with the Flame-Tailed (Robertson's) Gecko, a small lizard who earned its name through its red, spiky tail. These geckos follow the gazelles and Ropaan, eating the parasitic worms that attempt to lay their eggs in the mammal's hides, providing the geckos with food and keeping their partners parasite free. The fowl of Fell Justice are quite impressive as well, with several, such as the highland sora or Apas sea-hawk, being highly preferred by practitioners of falconry. However, where Fell Justice's avian creatures are most noted is in the area of capture and breeding for clothing industries: the most highly prized and sought after is the difficult-to-catch Arata bird, often compared to birds-of-paradise and peafowl in appearance. Covered in radiant, multi-colored feathers, these plumes are much sought after by fashion enterprises for use in fine clothes. Illegal poaching in recent years has led to a decrease in Arata populations that preservationists and the government are working hard to correct, but it has also spawned the unwanted side effect of major population growth among the Arata's prey, totem-sneaks. Small rodents that thrive in the swamps, forests and everywhere else, they have developed the unique camouflage of having two growths on their backs that look like extra faces and bodies, but are detachable: this serves to scare off some predators that believe their prey has three heads, and also allows easier escape, as the growths are easily detached and grow back, much like a skink's tail. In the low-lying swamps and rivers, there are many predators, and just as many prey, epitomizing the diversity of Fell Justice. The most common herbivores to see are the Aptonoths and Epioths, dinosaur-like reptiles related to one another, but the former built for living on land and the latter designed to survive in water. Also calling these lowlands home is the Zuwaroposu, a relative of the mountain-dwelling Rhenoplos, which is the fiercest of these herbivores, becoming extremely territorial during the longer mating seasons. However, all three species, as well as other inhabitants of the swamps and rivers, are hunted by the Ludroth and Snarling Greatmaws (colloquially, "Snarlers"): these two fight with one another over food sources, but the Snarlers are more often victorious, the large mouths that gave them their names serving as an effective weapon in combat. It should also be noted that, for unknown reasons, the Snarlers are genetically similar enough to Terran crocodiles that several escaped, illegal pets have managed to cross-breed with the Greatmaws, leading to several unique specimens of "Croco-maws," with three being in captivity for scientific study. At times, however, the swamps and rivers are threatened by a larger predator, the second largest on Fell Justice: the Lagiacrus, a titanic sea serpent that has somehow developed the unique ability to discharge static electricity through special spines on its forelegs and tail. These creatures are the subject of many legends, and the fear of numerous colonists, as their massive size and swift speed allow them to devastate fishing fleets with ease. Deemed the "Lord of the Sea" by Rangies, the only sea-creature that can match its size is the larger still Ceadeus, but this beast is much more docile, only becoming aggressive should a creature threaten it. As such, folk religion regards the Ceadeus as a beneficial nature spirit from the deep sea realms. In the two deserts on Fell Justice, there are few creatures larger than small lizards or rodents, but the Zjinn is the exception to the rule. Whereas most predators in the desert are from birds of prey that operate from the air, the Zjinn is a well-camouflaged, six-legged reptile that moves swiftly through the sand, laying still and blending in with the dry ground when hunting prey. Named so after a misspelling of the legendary djinns of Arabia, the Zjinn is the "Desert Phantom," feared by unarmed travelers for its well-known tendency for nocturnal attacks on human sojourners. Also a fearsome nocturnal foe within the desert mountain ranges is the Youree, also called the desert Yeti, which wanders into the desert's outskirts in the twilight and nighttime hours before returning to its mountain caves for respite. Though Youree attacks are fairly uncommon, their nightly howls are the stuff of nightmares, often equated within the legendary Terran (or, sometimes, ) Banshee's howls. The Youree is not the only ape-beast on the planet though, as it bears relation to two other Yeti species, the northern Great Yeti and the southern Watchuka. The former is the largest of the three, adult males standing at fourteen feet tall, while the southern Watchuka stands at a mere eight feet. The former calls the northern mountain ranges and polar regions home, where it stands as an imposing menace to tourists, , northern cobras, and immigrated species such as the Arctic whale of and narwhals. In the south, the Watchuka is a creature of the forest, blending with the trees and evading predators with expert stealth, living contented lives with little aggression, even in mating season. Part of the Watchuka's success at surviving comes from their great nests in the tree-tops, which helps to avoid the ground-dwelling predators, as well as their ability to outsmart most predators with superior cognitive prowess. A fourth Yeti species is rumored to exist, but this creature - known as Congala - is either folk legend or extinct, as it's presence has only been officially documented once, an appearance that was brief and uncertain: reports from a 2509 science expedition deep into the mostly unexplored Surya RainforestSurya is the Rigvedic god of the sun stated that during the trip they encountered a truly massive Yeti-like creature, roughly 20 feet tall, with a different body structure and far greater size and aggression than the local Watchuka. Although there have been multiple supposed sightings by guides and tourists, included several amateur videos, this remains the only officially documented proof of existence. Among the prey of the Great Yeti, the northern cobra is of note in that, while it resembles cobras of other worlds, it is in fact a mammalian creature, only capable of surviving due to its large fur coat, which appears hard and scaly because of the frozen ice that constantly mats it. At one time, it was once thought that the massive Raviente serpent was a genetic relative of the northern cobra, but this has since proven to be false, with closer ties being found in the aquatic Lagiacrus. With a territory that ranges across the entire planet, there are only a total of six documented Raviente alive as of 2590, leading to animal rights and preservationists calling foul upon the and , who conservationists claim led to the species' near-extinction through hunting and the 2529 invasion. However, recent studies by scientists have led to the theory that the population of adult Raviente seemingly never exceeds one dozen, as cave-nests filled with Raviente eggshells and dead corpses suggest that from each nest there is only one or two survivors, while the other siblings are cannibalized. Despite the longevity of the species - one specimen reexamined in 2593 was discerned to be the same as the one that had destroyed Ovideo-Tauranga in 2407 - how they have managed to preserve their genetics without fatal aberrations to their species is currently unknown. Despite the fact that the flora of Fell Justice is just as diverse and numerous, if not more so, than it's fauna, they are far less interesting outside of the fields of botany and biology. There are a few notable exceptions however, such as the Rata shrub: native to the desert's outskirts, the shrub is an evergreen, growing to thirty feet tall and being covered in pine needles. However, the shrub is fairly unique in that it spreads its progeny via runners, despite the fruit that it produces: these are used to store excess food supplies for the planet itself, though they enjoyed as a delicacy by both the animals and citizens of the planet. Among other famous planets that Fell Justice boasts is the Vāc trap, often compared to the Venus fly trap of Earth, but on a larger scale, being able to completely swallow, or at least capture moderate-sized animals such as Daran gazelles and smaller Ropaan. Interestingly enough, the omnivorous Watchuka have been known to open Vāc traps and take their prey from within, using it to supplement their own food sources. Another major plant that shares the jungle habitat of the Vāc trap is the dread thorn, a thorn-covered vine containing a highly deadly neurotoxin, used in many military grade poisons, and capable of being distilled for medicinal purposes. Last but not least, the most famous planet on Fell Justice is the infamous Rongo bush. On its own, the Rongo bush is fairly normal: it is a rather plain bush, sporting dark green leaves with serrated-edges, all squashed down to a size no greater than two feet tall. However, what makes the Rongo bush so valuable is its berries: bright orange, the berries grow in clusters of no more than five, and easily damaged, their juices being quite caustic. However, through careful extraction, the berries can either be distilled to make some of the finest wines in the galaxy such as Rotorua's GloryNamed after the New Zealand city, or they can be dehydrated and made into a powder, which is then used to compose a highly addicting drug called Vāc bleach. Locales All across the planet of Fell Justice, numerous locales attract tourists and pilgrims: the reasons vary from political to religious, from historical to social, but regardless, thousands come to the world every year, many to visit a select few of the several dozen locales marked as Planetary Heritage Locations. One of the most famous Heritage locales, particularly among the Sangheili, is the Barrows, located within Worthington Forest on Tāne. Large mounds of dirt with small tombs inside, they were used for two generations by the Sangheili occupiers of Fell Justice to entomb their dead. An oddity among Sangheili, as their traditions usually dictated that a fallen warrior's body be burned and his ashes scattered about the family keep, the Barrows were seemingly erected prior to the construction of any keeps on Fell Justice. Mostly unused now due to the presence of Keeps, save in a few select cases, the Barrows are still a site of pilgrimage for some Sangheili and for the visitors that they allow to view them. It should be noted that unlike many Planetary Heritage Locations, the Barrows are specifically controlled by the Sangheili, and as such there are few outside visitors allowed. Another odd, artificial heritage locale is the Tesseract Obelisk, a large structure located deep within Surya Rainforest, which draws large crowds of tourists and scientists every year. Mistakenly dubbed a tesseract by its' discover, Ariel Parker, the obelisk's origins remain unknown, possibly hinting at former involvement by the , the , or another, unspecified race. Regardless of who built the artifact, its purpose remains a mystery, despite the copious amounts of scientists that study both it and the seemingly related Daran Edifice. The Edifice, located in the Stayla Canyons of the Karnak Desert, is a large circular structure made of Forerunner-like metals, surrounded by square pillars, all constructed on or from the cliff-face they are located upon. The Edifice is quite large in size, but scans have determined that no structures seem to exist behind it, and partial destruction of the site to settle all doubts is an unacceptable prospect. Some of the famous sights of Fell Justice are completely natural ones, such as Enrique's Bowl on the continent of Varuna. A massive bowl-shaped indention in the continent's lowlands, evidence suggests that it was caused several thousand years ago when a meteor struck the planet. Although the edges of the intention remain clear, further into the Bowl is a small forest, surrounding a famous hot spring "oasis" : primary use of the oasis is offered to a rather exclusive group, though membership can be bought for rather large price, and brief uses and a tour are offered to the common public for an acceptable amount. Another natural locale is the Tree of Life, located on Tāne, not far from the Barrows: an extremely large tree, the Tree of Life is a several-thousand-year-old specimen of Ushas treeNamed for the Rigvedic goddess of the dawn. Standing approximately 723 feet tall, the Tree of Life has a large radial canopy, and is home to a complete, miniature ecosystem all its' own; set within a large wildlife preserve, the Tree of Life is well preserved by the Planetary Nature Association of Fell Justice. Another of Fell Justice's famous locales is also one of its most infamous. Papua's Mountains are located on the northern, primarily uninhabited continent of Ruaumoko, and they hold the titles for both largest mountain range on the planet, and housing three of the four tallest mountains on Fell Justice. However, in the eastern foothills, Papua's Mountains also have the infamous Obscene Hills. These hills are viewed with a mixture of strange awe and loathing, as they are composed of several natural objects that bear striking resemblance to sexual organs: one pair of hills are dubbed the Breast Hills for their resemblance to female mammaries, while the Phallic Pillar held similar connotations. Sublime Grace Network Adding a whole other level to the world of Fell Justice, the Sublime Grace Network was a feat of engineering created in 2567 through the Makishima Corps of Engineers as a project to add usable space to planet without compromising any more of the planet's natural landscape, as well as stimulate Fell Justice's economy. Initially conceived as three to five space stations connected through a shuttle-tram system, the network soon grew to a much larger scale, surpassing the initial plans several times over until it was a large, inter-connected series of orbital platforms stretching across a large area of the atmosphere. Evolving over time, the Sublime Grace Network eventually became something of a second skin the part of the planet over which it orbited. Positioned over the Apas SeaApas is a Rigvedic god of water and the Whakatau MountainsWhakatau is a character in Maori mythology, the network would form something of a floating city, favored by the rich and powerful, with large tourist resorts, hotel-casinos, and other such establishments. In addition, it housed an facility, home to the famed 3rd R&D Lab, a major developer of the technologies used during the 2580's rearmament. Highly successful in achieving the original purposes of economic stimulation and development, the Network would become something of a difficulty to effectively maintain, especially when a large group of Planet-First activists stated that the Network's propulsion systems were causing harm to the atmosphere and would eventually lead to the destruction of the planetary nature preserves. After persistent pressure, the government finally ordered regulations applied to the Sublime Grace network that would ensure the safety of the ecosystems beneath, leading to numerous systems being added to reduce the network's negative impact on the environment. By 2591, Sublime Grace was counted as an honorary mention in "Top 20 Most Environmentally-Friendly Cities in the Galaxy." Geographical locations Fell Justice features five continents and two oceans, as well as four major archipelagos and two seas. This assessment is not universally agreed upon, however, as there is a large community of scientists classify the planet as having one continent, Tāne, two super-continents, Rudramoko and Varuratri, and one super-ocean, the Indra. Continental *Rudra :*Democratic Republic of Aragon ::*Wellington Metroplex (Provincial capital) :::*Upper Wellington :::*Lower Wellington :::*West Wellington :::*Riverside Wellington ::*Ovideo-Tauranga (Destroyed, 2406) ::*New Zaragoza (Formerly Zaragoza, destroyed 2407) :*Karnak DesertNamed for the Egyptian city ::*Stayla Canyons :::*Daran Edifice :*Whakatau Mountains *VarunaRigvedic god of law, underworld, sky, water, and celestial ocean :*Honorable Sanctum ::*August Reverie (Planetary Capital) :*Federation of Sierra, Albany and Steadfast Hope ::*Leone (Provincial capital) ::*Little Albany :*Enrique's Bowl :*State of Eojus :*State of Sretah ::*Valley of Rajesh :::*Sretah Keep :::*The Spire :*Agni IslandRigvedic god of fire *Ratri (the Dark Continent)Rigvedic goddess of the night :*State of Rojas :*Luxor DesertNamed for the Egyptian city :*Surya Rainforest ::*Tesseract Obelisk *RuaumokoMaori god of earthquakes :*Republic of Andalusia ::*Barcelona (Provincial capital) :*Papua's Mountains ::*The Obscene Hills :*State of Ketki :*?? ::*New Cádiz *TāneMaori god of the forest and birds :*Dominion of Tāne ::*Rice-Sayre (Provincial capital) ::*Worthington Forest :::*The Tree of Life :::*The Barrows ::*Perseus Waterfalls :::*Jacobson Satellite Relay :*Autonomous City-State of Phrae Oceanic *Indra OceanRigvedic God of War, Storms, and Rainfall. :*Zealandia ArchipelagoNamed for the submerged continent ::*New Auckland (Provincial capital) :*Ikatere MountainsMaori god of fish ::*State of Ikat *Tangaroa OceanMaori god of the sea :*Sea of Despair ::*El Nido Archipelago :*Canary Archipelago ::*Gibraltar (Provincial capital) ::*State of NasudMade by the HBO Elite Namelizer ::*State of UqsorMade by the HBO Elite Namelizer :*Bangkok Trench *Apas Sea :*Rock of Ages :*Walter-Parsons Arcology *Wahieroa Sea :*Muppet Archipelago ::*States of Henson :::*Kermit (Provincial capital) :::*Piggy :::*Fozzie :::*Gonzo :::*Statler-Waldorf Orbital *Sublime Grace Network :*Rayong (Module 3 - Shipyards) :*Trinidad (Module 23 - City) ::*"The Old Father" Bar (Sub-Unit 5) :*Swift Hunting (Module 45 - City) :*Grand Surge Water Network (Environmental Module 92) :*Virgin City (Module 77 - City) ::*Chasen (Sub-Module 15) *Azure Misery (formerly Irawaru) *Tranquil Illumination (formerly Rātā) *Holy Outpost (formerly Tāwhaki) Gallery File:Ice planet.jpg|A view of the northernmost crags in Papua's Mountains File:Dawn at the Indus Valley by julian399.jpg|Dawn over the August Reverie skyline File:Damaris by phoenix 06-d38mxif.jpg|The Machina frigate MFN Optimal Situation docks with a Machina space station in Fell Justice's orbit. File:StarFleet.jpg|A civilian cruiser docking with one of the UNSC's orbital space stations File:The Forest church 2 by weiweihua.jpg|A small section of the Surya Rainforest File:C6695a09a9255dd024c80307978cb7ae-d3j8d1y.jpg|Sunset in the Valley of Rajesh, with Sretah Keep and the Spire well illuminated in the evening light. File:Waterfall valley by wasteland 3d-d49gg0q.jpg|The Jacobson Satellite Relay, continually in use since its' construction in 2564, sits perched atop the Perseus Waterfalls of Tāne. File:Sanctuary by guitfiddle-d34efyi.jpg|A wide-angle scenery shot of Little Albany, the city with the most height distance between the lowest and highest points on all of Fell Justice. File:640px-Dobo Scan 8.jpg|A fairly gentle, if territorial, beast, the Doboruberuku (or "Dobo") lives in the foothills, swamps and forested lowlands. File:640px-Jinouga-art.png|The Jinouga is a swift northern predator, a large canine-like mammal that has adapted to the frigid climate of the north as well as evolved a scale hide to protect vital areas from wounds File:640px-Raviente01.png|The vicious and immense Raviente serpent, a major ecological predator and terror of Fell Justice. File:RavienteParty.jpg|The doomed Raviente-capture attempt of 2574, which resulted in the death of the entire 57-member contingent of Plainsfier Armado hunters File:Yeti by tentaspyjacksonz-d38539x.jpg|The Great Yeti, as realized via CGI in the critically acclaimed horror film Howls. (2569) File:Yeti Comparision.jpg|A fairly accurate comparison of the Yeti species of Fell Justice, from left to right: Sasquatch, Youree, Great Yeti, and an artists' conception of the elusive Congala. Behind The Scenes Initially, Fell Justice was simply a name thrown out in passing within the HELLFIRE RP as the homeworld for one of the 12th Naval Squadron's members. In this brief mention, the place was described as a planet where orphans of the many galactic races mingled side-by-side, and later when the story High Treason was mapped out some, a planet was needed to be a suitable, multi-cultural world for the underworld plotline. Fell Justice ended up being the chosen planet, and it quickly expanded into a world steeped in multiple cultures, criminal underworlds, and vast tourism. This all remained mere plans and ideas until the Fourth Annual Awards were announced. Once announced, I decided that after failure to win any awards in the previous years, I would need to put forth an effort that I had not put forth in quite some time. To this end, I decided that Fell Justice's long-planned construction was at last due to begin, and dove into the project head-first. Expansion of the article began first with deciding on how to theme the article: I already knew that I wanted to create a mixed Human-Covenant heritage, so I decided that simply naming it Fell Justice would not be enough. I needed another name, and so I quickly decided to examine mythologies that seemed underused so far: my first choice was Maori, since I had already chosen a joint New Zealand-Spanish colonization effort, and just for variety (some Maori names are rather cumbersome) I added the Rigvedic (somewhat Hindu) gods as well. Notes References See Also *'United Earth Government' *'United Sangheili Republic' *'Miranda Talavera' *'Extra Outcomes' *'Taradia' Category:Planets